COURSING.

Otago Witness, Issue 1957, 27 August 1891, Page 28

COURSING.

FIXTURES. August 27— Ladles' Stake, Oamaru. August 29, 31— Ladles' Bracelet and .Maiden Plate at Sookburn.

NOTES BY MASTER M'GRaTH.

Bad weather the first two days of the Champion meeting, and a fine one to wind up with Why did they have an interval for lunch on the Saturday, cooping up the people there for an extra hour when there were only five more courses to be run ? There were only two kills on the Thursday. Three altogether if we include the killing of Mr Henderson's reputation as judge. For it was in trouble in the morning, and by call of time it was stone dead. This is the statement of fact told in the unimpassioned words of our reporter. The new judge, Mr W. Henderson, who was acting for the first time at the Foibury, gave anything but satisfaction with his decisions. In the sixth course of the Champion Bfcakes, in which Carbine met Biddy Alone, the latter appeared from the grand stand to have won, and some of those who had laid odds against her chance, Carbine being backed at 2 to 1 on, were actually paying over their money in the certainty that they had lost, when the judge raised his red flag, signifying that Carbine had won. This was the signal for a great demonstration against the judge, and the stewards were so influenced by the opinions of the majority of those on the stand that they called up Mr Henderson to receive his explanation of the decision. He then stated that "Biddy Alone led up, and for that he allowed one point, after which Carbine did enongh work to equalise matters, then scored two wrenches and drove to cover." The judge's decision on the course, it must, in justice, be added, was not condemned by all the spectators, for some upheld it. In the very next course, which was between Cora Lynn and Sterling Maid, he gave what was regarded by many as a doubtful decision; while another hostile demonstration was directed •gainst him when he awarded to Holyrood the course which that dog bad with Jew Boy in the Maiden Plate, as from the stand the latter seemed to have gained a dear advantage. There was further dissatisfaction over the decision upon the coarse in the First Sapling Stakes between Lancashire Lad and Bridesmaid, but it was a close thing, and the judge, following the course on horseback, was in the best position to watch the working. On the second day, too, there was more dissatisfaction. In the seventh round of the Maiden Carlo led Parnell 11, and co far as could be seen from the stand, won somewhat easily, but Mr Henderson declared the coarse to bs undecided. On the tun off Parnell finished the lead-up with at least • two points' advantage, and thereafter did the bulk of the work, but t^e. judge declared Carlo to have won, Mr Henderson afterwards supplied the stewards with ■ the follow ing explanation of his decision in the runoff :— Parnell led— 2 points, Carlo wrenched and turned— l| points ; Parnell wrenched — £ point, Carlo turned and wrenched twice— 2 points, Carlo" killed— 2 points; — total.l Carlo s§, Parnell 2|. This was certainly not the course of events as far as those on the grand stand conld tell. But the climax was reached a couple of courses later on when Mr Henderson awarded two points for the lead-up to a dog that was decisively beaten in racing to thehare. This was thecourse between Chorister and Royal. Mr Henderson described the coarse thus : — " Royal led— 2 points, Chorister wrenched twice — 1 point, Royal raced past again— 2 points'; Chorister wrenched twice— l point : Royal raced past again — 2 points, Chorister wrenched and drove to cover— l point ; total, Royal 6 points, Chorister 5 points." There can be no donbfc as to Chorister having led up, and if the points awarded to Royal for that were deducted from bis total and added to Chorister's, ib is clear that the latter was the winner. Mr Heoderaon'd decision of the final course of the round, between Fugacity and King Bruce was also an exceedingly doubtful one. The effort of his jaiißiug at the meeting hod beep to destroy all co:-fi fence in him, and it was with a feeling of relief that at the luncheon adjournment owners and backers heard that Mr Henderson, possibly anticipating other step 3, had resigned tho position of judge. These are balJ statement? of t act, and I think that Mr Henderson acted nke a very wise man in resigning a job that must have been as unsatisfactory to himself as to others. At the same time I take leave to say that the infernal noise kicked up by the people on the stand was in very bad taste, resulting, perhaps, to some extent from « mistaken idea that it was doing some good to the man who had previously held the position., lam sure that Mr Kett himself did. not oonntenanoe the " barracking " of the new man. It was bad form anyhow. What the malcontents should have dona was to send a deputation to the jtewwrds. wking them to Attend to the matter, M« 8i R. KWd, of Wtoton, ww »Ppoi«M Jo &* He»iew«'a pltcs, ftfcd fo* the «nii of *h« meetloe there was no further deißcmatrafclQS, the kdglng baicf on the whole ntlflfsotpry, though it i* bat right! to msntfan that fee ??M ba««ft}!e euppsasd to bsm »we osfc et iso fcfot&fee* befof s the finish of the raeetlngj „ ThisMfag la & ift&fe ffimwltp km, &sa I thtak we Basil hvya to adopt the plsa suggested, I understaad, by Mr Dt O'Brien, vis , to eroct t} " crow's nest " on a pole in the middle of the ground and stick the judge up there With a slate in his hand to chaik down the points as made, an tot them up at the end of each bonrso. Mr Dalgleish's slipping was all through Al Stormy Night races no more. She is booked to visit The Brewer. Mr M. Taylor authorises me to publish a challenge from him to run one of his dogs against any dog in New Zealand for £50 or £100-

Some folk think that a couple of those saplings were more than a year old. The stewards

moat watch this and other things, for there are fanny stories afloat. As Bnttercup says: "Things ace seldom what they seem." Mr A. T. Price had Watermark backed straight ont for the Champion and also won a substantial stake by backing his dogs m their Mr Mercer has refused £25 for Biddy Alone. Mr Patching's black elufc by Ringwood— No Name, and Mr J. M'Ewan'a Ringlet, by Ringwood—Fenella, have visited The Brewer, the stud dog at the Avonside Kennels.